ABOUT ME!!! An Aussie Tale.......Woof Woof...

I continue to fight...but some days are good, some not so good. Mommy still has to hand feed me in the mornings. This is so wierd...because at night, I will usually eat on my own. I am on alot of medicines, zinc,milk thistle,sam e, vitamin e and azodyl. Mom thinks the zinc is upsetting my tummy yet I have to have it for the copper storage syndrome. I am really interested in human food, but I have to be on a special diet. Mommy is wondering if I just hate the food? She usually puts boiled chicken, yougurt anything she can think of that I can have but sometimes nothing works. Its a battle taking medicines I need, yet keeping my tummy not to upset to eat. I played this morning for alittle while with my favorite squeeker toy and then mommy took me on a short walk. I did not want to go very far. Mommy is not sure if I grow tired or what is going on; but my walk is about a block and then I turn around and let her know that is as far as the Rio boy is going. I continue to need your chants and prayers. I thank each of you for staying with us through this fight. I am trying not to leave my mommy I know she needs me as much as I need her. We love each other so much.
**** a side note from my mommy
I was trying to get my sweet boy to eat the other night and he tried to attack me. It was just for a moment but I guess I pushed him to far trying to get him to take his medicines. Rio has always had issues since I brought him home. I truly believe someone beat Rio and was very mean to him before he came into my life. He hates men with grey hair and will not let anyone he does not know walk into the house. It is frustrating because he acts hungry but then refuses to eat turning his nose up to everything. If he could eat what I eat he would scarf it down. Unfortunately he has to be on a very special diet that requires his liver to receive no copper. Most foods have copper in them. If anyone has any knowledge on a diet low in copper that can be made by me I would truly appreciate any advice. I have done research but there is not much out there. Thanks for your continued support and kindness. Rio and Pat

I refused to eat again this morning but did go on a short walk. I am drinking alot of water and peeing good. My stools are mushy and yellow. Not sure why that is. I was having diarrhea and took an antibiotic for a week. It helped but now the stools are again getting mushy. If Rio could eat human food he would. I did try hamburger and rice but he did not like that either. I am going to talk to my vet tomorrow and get him in for some more lab test to see if the kidney values are improving and what the liver is now doing. Two weeks ago the liver values were improved but the kidney values were elevated. The vets said if the kidney values continue to rise there is not much that can be done. They told me in the beginning that his kidneys were enlarged and that he had polycystic kidneys. He has already beat the odds and lived longer than they thought he would. He already is on azodyl for his kidneys and Zinc for the copper storage syndrome. Tonight he ate his food and I praised him to the moon and back. I love my boy so much. Thank you Margo for trying to help Rio. I appreciate it so very much. Pat..Rios mom.

Woo hooo lab work alittle improved. Rio has actually eaten the last two days. I stopped the nausea medicine and if you can believe this..put a couple of pop corn popped crushed up on top of his food. Well he seems to love it. He has licked his bowl clean. So my brave boy continues to fight. I tell him every day what a good boy he is and how much he is loved. OK..he is spoiled rotten but I truly believe all dogs should be as spoiled as Rio. So...I thank you so very very much for your continued prayers and support. I will keep you all informed of Rios progress. He truly has a fighting spirit and as the vet says each time I take him in...he is truly a miracle dog. He now has lived four years longer than expected. What can I say.....but thank you all so very much. I believe your prayers and chants have carried Rio through many tough times. I am praying with all my heart he continues to improve. big hugs. my love and thanks. Now I am going to wiggle butt dance with my boy...He ate all his food again this morning. Rio and his mom
Never give in........Never give up......fight fight fight.....

Its been three days now that we discovered that you were losing the battle. You are my brave beautiful boy. I love you so very much. You have taught me such loyalty and enduring love and patience. I have always promised you that I would be as strong as you if it came to this. Baby boy..mommy is not strong. I find myself weak in heart when it comes to making this decision. You have so many times fought back and survived. You whom we were told would probably not make it to five....You will be eleven in April. That is a miracle in itself and shows me how long you have fought to stay with me. How can I be so weak now? The tears will not stop and if I could trade places with you I would. That is how much I love you. You are my best friend. My protector and the love that fills my heart. I pray for a miracle...another day or year or two. I ask for peace of heart to know what is right. I will not allow you to suffer. If you continue to refuse to eat and the IVs do not help....I will let you go. Not by choice but because I have to do what is right for you. I love you my baby boy. I love you more than you will ever know. YOU are my heart. Please fight for me Rio. Please try and eat and try to stay with me if only for a few more moments in time. I do not know what I will do without you. With you by my side I have never been afraid to be alone. Lexey just left us in June...its to soon for another loss that cuts my heart so very deep. I am still not over losing Lexey...I can not lose you not now. Fight my baby boy. Mommy loves you so much.

Mommy came and got me from the vet. The vet feels I get to depressed when I stay over night. Mommy does not like to be without me so I am home. They left that darned old IV in my leg. They told mommy they would be on call all weekend if she needed them. I am not going to let mommy down. I know what they meant when they said if she needed them. I saw the biggest tears on mommies face. She looks so sad and worried. She held me close to her heart and told me what a good boy I am and that she loves me to the moon and back. I love her that much too. That is what has made me fight so hard. All that love we share. So the vet told mom that she can feed me anything I want. She has never told mommy that before. That made mommy even cry harder. I do not know why...if I can eat anything I want is that not a good thing? The Rio boy thinks so, but mommy thinks its because they think there is no hope so why not. So I got to eat some really tasty hamburger and real dog food tonight. Not that ole kidney diet. I ate a whole can...that made mommy smile. So if I do good this weekend....I get more lab and maybe IVs again...and then I will be OK...right???? Mommy said a prayer and hugged me and told me sleep tight tonight. I am a tired baby boy. So good night my friends. Chant and pray hard for me. The Rio needs them now more than ever. Never give in.........Never give up......fight fight fight. Love you all.........Rio

I ate another can of regular dog food. Mommy is still so very very worried. I am not myself. Her heart hurts I can tell. You see...I came to mommy abused and scared. She took me in her arms and told me she would love me for the rest of my life and that no one would ever hurt me again. She has kept that promise. When they told her to send me back at age seven months..that first vet visit, mom looked into my eyes and said no. She knew I needed someone who would love me and fight for me. With that our journey began. Its now been ten years of love and fun. Walks and squeaker toys and doing for me what ever I needed. Now it looks like the journey may be nearing the end. I hope not. I pray my body can fight a while longer. Mommy needs me now too. So say a prayer and for me...hold all your furbabies close to your heart and tell them how much they are loved. You see no matter what I am lucky........I found mommy and she found me. We love you all. Rio and Pat

Lifes journey is not always what you expect. Rio was rejected by his mommy and was hand fed by his breeders. He was the only pup to survive the litter. A true test of his fighting spirit. He lived only to be given to someone who abused him. When the breeder found out she went and got sweet Rio and his journey with me began. He was so scared..he had never been inside a home. The noise of the TV made him shake with fear. Grey haired men.......he would attack. I feel it must have been some grey haired man that made him so scared. With me...no one hurt him. I would have protected Rio with my life. As he came to trust again..his loyalty and fighting spirit emerged. What a protector. He flirts with me..by blinking his beautiful eyes at me and he looks deep inside my soul. Our love is special. We have fought together to keep him here. I think he knows the journey is ending. He will not leave my side. He is still fighting. He ate another can of food this morning with me hand feeding him. We will know Monday how this journey is going. Keep my beautiful special boy in your prayers. He is loved to the moon and back and he is truly one of a kind. Rio..mommy loves you so much. I am so proud of you. You are my heart and I promise you.......I will always do what is best for you. I love you my baby boy..today and forever you are my heart. Rios mommy, Pat

Rio spent the weekend at home. The lab work today showed the IVs last week did not help. HIs creatinine went from 4 to 4.8 today. He is not vomiting...just no appetite, refusing to eat. His phosphoros level is high. He is receiving IVs today and he will come home tonight. I know the end is just a matter of time. I am going to spend each night with him holding him and telling him how much he is loved. This weekend if things are not improved I will not allow him to suffer or live his life feeling horrible. When there is no hope...then we have to do what is best for him. My love for him is endless. He is Such a good boy. Please keep him in your prayers. My heart is breaking and the tears will not stop. Its the worst thing to do...make the decision that hurts so much. Thank you all for loving and praying for Rio all these years. Your friendship has meant so very much to us.
NEVER GIVE IN.....
NEVER GIVE UP......
FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT.....

Rio got picked for diary of the day yesterday, we did not even know it. You see I spend all my time working with him, trying to get him to eat and giving him fresh water every hour. I want him to drink as much as he can. His appetite is still poor but better than last week. He is such a fighter. I am praying that things are looking up, but not holding out much hope. Thank you dogster for the honor of diary of the day. Rio has been on this site since our journey began. We have made so many special friends. We send you all our love and thanks for standing by our side through the ups and downs. I can only pray for some more good days with Rio. I love him so very much. Sending you all our love and thanks, Rio and Pat

I am still fighting to stay with mom. I know how very much she needs me. She still hand feeds me but I am eating about three cans of food a day. It makes mommy happy so I am still trying. I think this bond we have with our humans is so special. Just as they help us...we give so very much to them. At least that is what mom tells me. She says she loves me to the moon and back and then some. Silly mom...she has never been to the moon. :-)..We love you all for your continued support and prayers. Mommy says she believes in miracles and I am trying to give her one. Hugs and wags...sending each of you all of Gods blessings and our love. Rio and Pat